


All the Paths It Takes

by blondebadwolf



Category: Supernatural
Genre: (But not Cas or Dean), Adultery, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Male Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-05-02 13:57:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5250692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blondebadwolf/pseuds/blondebadwolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After finding his husband in the arms of his sister- Cas decides it’s time to step outside the box and make a new life for himself. But no one thought that would include his husbands biggest enemy- Anti Omega Rights activist Dean Winchester. <br/>Dean stands for everything Cas hates, but the enemy of his enemy is his friend. Or in the very least an enemy that knows his way around the bedroom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Empty Space

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Broken Road](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/156491) by SnarkyFanGirl. 



> A/N: This story is loosely based off of the fic The Broken Road. Which is the first fanfic I ever read about Draco and Ginny. It’s still my favorite and I thought what better way to pay homage to how far I’ve come than to make my own Destiel fic?   
> I am so thankful for my beta fangirlingtodeath513. Check her out on tumblr.

The key wiggles in the space of the lock for a second before adjusting to the keyhole and turning belatedly, as if the key itself is trying to expand in the small space it’s supposed to fit in. Castiel tells himself he needs to get it fixed, but even as he adds it to his mental checklist yet again, he promptly forgets as soon as he’s through the door.

Home. 

The long, never-ending corridors are the first thing Castiel sees when he walks in. And Castiel wishes that they weren’t so long. He doesn’t see the point of long hallways- it just takes up space until you get to the place you intend to be going. For the amount of steps one takes they could just expand the living space to be where the hallway is with less walking and effort.  And it doesn’t help that these hallways are drafty and always give the impression of the house being ten times colder than it is. But Cas just rolls his suitcase over the entryway and heads down the pointless hall because it’s the only way to really get anywhere.

On his way he sees a picture Balt had insisted they have framed. It’s from the summer Balt came into their lives. In it, Balt is the focus of the picture with Anna besides him. The way they’ve always been- arguing about something. Castiel’s mother has one arm tightly around Balt, and her other arm around Michael, her hand tugging on Luci’s coat to pull him into the picture. Michael and Lucifer are laughing at something. Bobby’s hand is posed above Michael’s head- clearly in the process of hitting it. And Cas is on the opposite side of Anna. He’s looking at Balt, the way he always did. Like he was a hero. Which, after everything that’s happened, can hardly be debated. But Cas has never liked the picture. Balt says it’s residual shame- after all Cas did used to trail around him like a puppy begging for scraps, back when Balt was just Anna’s best friend. Sometimes it hurts to see proof of him being just on the outside. But Balt’s probably right. 

Castiel straightens the frame, even though it’s only slightly crooked. He wonders where Balt is anyways. The struggle with the key and the noise suitcase rolling along the wooden floors could have woken the whole neighborhood. He half expects some sort of chastisement of how much Balt paid for them. But the man is nowhere to be seen, and Cas instead has to go looking for him.

The first room Cas checks is the billards room. He might as well call it Balt’s room because that’s where the guy lives. In fact, he is certain Balt’s spent more time in the room talking to scotch bottles by himself than in their actual bedroom. 

“When did you get home?” Balt asks, chalking up a pool stick. 

“Just now.” Cas answers, watching Balt take a calculated hit. The balls dance around each other but none land. He isn’t entirely certain that you want the balls to go in if you are playing against yourself. Seems like keeping all the balls in play would be the perfect way to keep you from both winning and ,subsequently, losing.  

“I see.”

The clack of the balls hitting each other sounds almost acoustic in the room. Cas knows his husband well enough to know that he is now expected to share, even though no questions have been asked. “The trip was fun. It was nice being able to see Luci and his new wife.”

“Your mother hates her.”  

Cas shouldn’t be surprised that Balt knows that. He and Ellen have always been close. In fact, Balt probably called Ellen more than once while Cas was away, Cas thinks bitterly. As soon as the thought flickers across his mind he feels guilty. That’s not fair- Balt is a busy man. And it’s not like Cas called him every night either. 

“Well I like her. She’s not your typical Omega.”

“There is no such thing as a-“

“Typical Omega. I know.” Cas finishes the sentence. “I just meant Bella’s very tenacious and headstrong. A good match for Luci.”

“Omega’s can be just as headstrong and tenacious as alphas.” Balt says. And Cas knows. He knows Balt is all about Omega rights and equality. It’s something he’s always loved about the man. But after a long day spent at the airport, and a three hour plane ride next to a lovely, yet intense grandmother who wanted to talk about nothing but the decline of politics from her generation, he wishes Balt would stop lecturing him on his own orientation. Of course Cas knows Omegas can be whatever the fuck they want. Cas knows he can scream and yell and blatantly fight against Balt, regardless of alpha/omega dynamics. But he doesn’t. Not because of biology, but because he knows you don’t fight with the ones you love.

“What did you do to occupy your time while I was away?” Cas leans against the table, ignoring the pointed look Balt gives him. 

“I continued to save the world Cassie.”

Cas nods. “One omega at a time.”

“But I am glad that my favorite one has returned.” Balt says after he’s hit the plain blue ball in. 

“It’s good to be home. For dinner tonight I thought we could get some burgers.”

“All the fancy food joints in the world and you continue to clog your arteries.” Balt shakes his head, but Cas just blinks as if he didn’t hear it. He doesn’t care about healthy eating like Balt does. He eats healthy enough, but he doesn’t feel the need to keep on some diet regimen. Balt is always insisting that they be in tip top condition, one of the downsides of always being in the press. But Cas doesn’t see the point in denying himself a burger every now and again, especially on never-ending days like this.

“Besides, I have prior plans petunia. You can indulge yourself in your capricious ways.”

“Previous engagements?”

“A press meeting. I’m sure you understand.”

Cas tries not to jut out his jaw. He understands, he does. But he’s annoyed. He tells himself it’s from the long day. It’s not fair to expect someone who belongs to a cause to belong to just him. He’s known that since he was thirteen. And he begrudges that stupid thirteen-year-old who swore to the sky he would take whatever he could get from Balt as long as he could be the one to end up with him. It was his own fault for giving life the power to set the expectations. 

“Aww Cassie don’t give me that look. I’ll make it up to you. I’m glad you’re home.”

Balt levels him with a look that’s supposed to somehow comfort Cas, but Cas can tell it’s a cue. It’s the line that’s followed up with an exit. 

And sure enough- less than thirty words after Cas has arrived, Balt is leaving to go do more important things than his husband. Cas watches him go down the drafty hallway, not sparing a glance for his supposed favorite picture. Cas wishes he had kissed Cas’s cheek or something, some type of touch to soften the blow. But when you’ve been with someone since a child, romantic gestures tend to be overlooked anyways. 

Cas wanders about the house for a while. He should be unloading his suitcases, but instead his legs feel restless. Annoyance tickles his every nerve, and he feels like if he can just keep moving he might walk it out of his body. 

Cas’s phone buzzes, and the first thought that pops into his head is that it’s from Balt. But then Cas remembers that Balt typically turns off his phone at these functions- he likes to be in the moment. Sure enough the text is from Gabriel, asking how his flight was and if he wants to grab burgers.

Thank heavens for Gabriel. 

 


	2. A Night on the Town

Castiel feels guilty in the solace he takes in the fact that Gabriel is really Castiel’s only friend that isn’t Balt’s. Marriage is supposed to be two people coming together. It’s supposed to be sharing every bit of their life completely with another. Right? Cas should be grateful that his married life is so intertwined that sometimes it’s hard to tell where Balt ends and Cas begins. 

But parents never teach their children about sharing is- that it’s always harder for the person who is giving than the person who is benefiting. No matter how great it feels to give, and give, sometimes there are things you just want to hoard just to prove that not everything you own is expendable, because if everything you own can be given away then what’s truly yours to begin with? Cas is a good boy. He was raised by Ellen to understand the importance of sharing and he’s never wavered in his ability to give. Balt has always been raised to take. Even when Castiel was twelve and it was just who got to choose the movie. 

Balt had nothing to give. That’s what brought him into their lives. When his omega mother was kidnapped, he was sent to his uncle Zachariah’s house, which happened to be right next door to theirs. Cas will never forget the first time he came into their house. The boy with the impossibly happy looking face scrunched in an anger that didn’t seem to suit it as he talked with conviction about how he was going to save his mother. He had ranted for hours, every word sounding as important as the last, about how Omegas should be equal and how he was going to change the world. And Cas knew he would. He wanted to be part of that. 

Something inside of Cas’s omega heart shifted. It spoke to him. It told him the truth of Balt’s words. He watched as the boy waved his hands with conviction and that was the first thing Balt stole from Cas- his heart. That was the moment Cas decided he would give anything to be near this boy. He imagined what it would be like to have a fraction of that passion turned to him. He swore his loyalty. To the both the cause and the boy before Balt was done speaking. And Cas wasn’t the only one.

Ellen had fussed over the boy. If anything could lessen the hardships, everyone knew it would be Ellen’s cooking. She ruffled the boy’s hair, and no one missed the way he leaned into the touch. From that moment on it was an unquestioned fact- Balt had become part of their family. So much so that Bobby had the phrase “Family Don’t End With Blood” engraved on a wooden decal that hung over their fireplace, as if to remind anyone who could come into their house and question Balt’s legality. He integrated into their family unit so well that Castiel began to wonder what really made families to begin with. 

Whereas Castiel was too much of a baby for Michael and Luci to play with, Balt was closer in age. So the duo became a trio easily. Besides, Balt was good at mediating the epic fights that ensued between the two. He knew how to calm both down in a way that even Ellen’s sternest mother warning stares couldn’t. The three did everything together. And while other younger brothers may have been jealous or resented Balt for that, Cas had made his decision that he loved the boy the second he met him. Nothing could possibly sully that commitment. If anything, it made Cas love Balt more. He used to stand outside the bedroom and listen to the three of them argue during card games, a deck of cards in his hand just wishing he could be invited inside. He used to play cards with his stuffed bumble bee and dream about the day he would be old enough to be part of the brotherhood. 

But the person Balt bonded with most was Anna. Until Balt came into their lives, Anna and Cas were each other’s allies. Both were the youngest, and both had a trait that separated them from the rest of the family (Anna being the only girl, Cas the only omega). But Balt and Anna had a connection that no one in their family ever really understood. Both spent all their time yelling at each other over everything- the house temperature, who got the last cupcake, what television show to watch- but every time Balt was over they spent most of their time together. They were best friends. It probably helped that anytime Michael and Luci went to pick on Anna, Balt would stand in between them. Anna started hanging out with the brothers, which made sense because everyone wanted to be around Balt. He held their family together in a weird way. He made them all feel like they were important. He made everyone feel like they were part of his cause; That by being around him they were changing the world. 

And even though he fit into Cas’s family better than Cas ever did, Castiel only loved him for it. Cas loved Balt for all the ways he wasn’t like Cas. He was loud with his convictions, he was bubbly and friendly and had a way of making friends with everyone. He was good at letting loose and being the center of attention. But sometimes, like now, sometimes it was exhausting. It was exhausting to be nothing but Balt’s husband. Because everyone was a friend of his husbands, a fan of his husbands, a colleague of his husbands. And Cas was finally part of the group. He was on the inside circle all because of the man on his arm. But everyone they met- they always belonged to Balt and not really Cas. 

Except Gabe. Gabe filled in the position of plush bee over the years. When Cas’s family was too busy watching R rated movies that were too mature for Cas, Gabriel was the one in his room reenacting the exact same movie for Cas with his own accents and versions of subtitles. When his siblings were too busy to come to Cas’s recitals, Gabriel would come sit by Ellen and Bobby and cheer loudly during all the respectful clapping, putting a hand over his mouth as he whooped and hollered so Cas could hear him. Gabriel was the one who would edit Cas’s love letters to Balt and then talk him out of sending them. Gabriel was Cas’s. And over the years there were many times he could have tried harder to forge a relationship between his best friend and his husband- but he didn’t. He hoarded Gabriel selfishly, happy to have one person he could say was his and not Balt’s. It was wrong, he didn’t doubt it, but it was moments like this, where he could complain about his husband and not have to listen to the other person defend Balt or make him feel guilty. He had one person who would always take his side. And he wouldn’t give that up for the world. Even if Cas’s whole world was Balt. 

“So you’re saying you came home from being away and he didn’t attempt to jump your bones?”

“We aren’t newly dating teens Gabe. He’s got more important things to do than constantly attempt to make love to me.”

Gabe snorts at Cas’s phrasing before downing another shot. Cas looks around at the bar, and the people around him while sipping his beer. “Still. Did you let him know you’re upset?”

“I don’t see the point in starting another fight.”

“Damnit Cas.”

“Every relationship goes through rough patches. You have to support each other through them. That’s what love is Gabriel.”

A couple of girls by the bar start laughing at something loudly, and both wait for them to calm down before they can be heard over the din. 

“Speaking of love…. I…. uh….”

“Please don’t tell me you’ve upgraded to declarations of love.” Cas tried to level Gabriel with his best glare. But the man barely shifted under it.

“Look, I am just asking you to give him a chance Cas.”

“You’re one to lecture me Gabriel. You’re dating Sam Winchester. If I came over he would make me do his housework.”

Gabriel waved a finger in Cas’s face. “Don’t.” HIs voice is hard and Castiel actually feels a little bit guilty. “I know, your husband and the Winchesters have a thing.”

A thing. Like it was just a small disagreement. His husband and the Winchesters had destroyed each other in every news publication. They had fought each other on principles, on their definitions of people’s existence- CAS’S existence. 

“But he’s different. We both know the main enemy to your husband is John. And maybe Dean, but have you ever seen Sam in any publications taking a stance on any of it?”

“He stands by his family Cas.”

“Physically. Mentally? I don’t know…. He’s different.” Gabriel is pleading with Cas, and Cas wants to be mad. He does. But a man can only feel so many things at once, and a majority of those are going towards holding a dam of unease at bay. He really doesn’t have the energy to be mad at more than one person.

“You must really love him.” Cas says gravely, running a finger over the top of the glass.

Gabriel snorts. “You have no idea. And I’d really like you two to meet.”

Cas’s head snaps up.

“Look, I wouldn't be asking this of you if I didn’t think he would treat you with respect. You two are the most important people in my life.”

“I don’t know Gabe….”

“I’m not asking you to do some media event or anything like that. Just a dinner. At my house. We won’t tell Balt.”

Cas looks at the girls who were laughing to see they are now nowhere near the bar. Anything to avoid Gabriel’s knowing looks. “I don’t keep secrets from Balt.”

“Okay, well tell him, but don’t invite him. He does that to you enough anyways.”

Cas glares at Gabriel, but both know it’s got no real anger behind it. 

“I’ll think about it.”

“That’s all I can ask man.”

“But if he says one degrading thing to me about being an omega…”

“I will dump his ass on the spot and let you castrate him. Deal.”

Cas nods,and tries to swallow the unease away, but the night and the alcohol have done little to calm the discontent taking hold of him. It’s moments like this he wishes he could just go back to being a love struck boy stalking a crush. At least then he didn’t expect anything. 

Gabe is bouncing on his barstool, from all the alcohol buzzing in his system and no doubt from their conversation. Cas wonders if Gabe has been thinking about this for a while, wondering how to bring the idea up.

Which is something Cas understands all too well. He’s been thinking a lot lately. More than he wishes to. Sometimes he wishes he could turn his brain off. But he had come up with a decision. He was going to ask Balt to go on a trip with him. They hadn’t had a real vacation since their honeymoon eight years ago. He already knew what Balt was going to say- something along the lines of “his work and his busy schedule” but those were things that would never cease. And Cas needed…. Well, he needed more. 

Typically when he got like this, Cas would go with Balt to hear him speak at a press event, a college graduation, a TV interview. Those never failed to remind him of the man he fell in love with. Watching Balt in an expensive tuxedo with some dramatic statement piece talk about his passion, his love, his conviction- it always reminded Cas of when they were younger. It reminded him of a love sick boy who used to count how many times Balt looked at him that day. It reminded him of the day Balt announced to an entire restaurant that he loved Castiel. Because he was an omega, his family, his past, and his future all rolled into one. And as they kissed in front of all the cameras and crews, Cas never imagined there could be more than that. He never wanted more than that. And sometimes watching Balt trade witty barbs with a reporter reminded Cas of what he wished for and got. Very few people in life get their wishes.

But Balt had stopped inviting him to interviews, so instead Cas was left with this uneasiness. He balanced between a need to make sure they were okay and a desire to require more from Balt. But he was going to do it- demand something more. He had bought the tickets, four months from now so Balt had time to reorganize his schedule. Cas had planned it all, taking careful consideration of what Balt would want to do. And Cas tried to tell himself this would fix it all. One trip, of close interaction would bridge all the distance. It had to.

“Woah man, you’ve gone somewhere else.” 

Cas looks up to see Gabriel watching him with a funny expression. 

“You’ve never been drunk so I know that’s not it.”

“I was planning on asking Balt tonight. Or telling him would be more apt. About the vacation.”

Gabriel’s eyes hold pity and that scares Cas. Why should Gabriel be looking at Cas with pity? Cas has everything- the famous husband and childhood sweetheart, a big house, a family that loves him. 

“Just remember that he’s lucky to have you, Cassie.”

Cas tilts his head. Gabriel insists on telling Cas that all the time. But everyone knows the truth- Balt could have anyone. After his win in Mills vs Roman, his Omega Rights Campaign, his stint as People’s Most Influential Man of the Year, his Peace Prize, and everything else ,Balt could have had his choice of anyone. And he chose Cas of all people. 

Cas nods, not wanting to argue with Gabriel. But it strikes him that the most common question he keeps playing with is what, exactly, is the perfect balance is between raging a war and letting yourself be walked on? But he nods again for emphasis; It’s better not to fight. 


	3. Seeing Red

In hindsight Cas should have known not to bring up the trip after a press conference. Balt was always antsy and grumpy after press conferences, like he could only give up so much of his warmth at a time before it depleted. And like it was destined to- it ended in a fight. Castiel struggling to be heard over Balt’s insults and quick wit. 

Loving Balt sometimes seemed akin to a difficult job or a demanding task list. Because everything that was rewarding about it, happened to be same things that made it hard. And the traits that were the easiest to admire were also sometimes the most difficult to handle. His comebacks were always speedy, unarguable, and frankly fantastic when against anti-Omega supporters. But there was the double edged sword of it all. Because those barbs sucked from the opposite side. And Cas, who promised himself he wouldn’t be, was a pleading emotional mess at the end. A mess that Balt claimed he “couldn’t handle” and left to the safety of his work.

In all actuality, he probably went to Anna’s or Cas’s childhood home to cool off. So Cas waits for the call from his own family members to tell him how in the wrong he is. It’s a routine as predictable as any. 

But it’s been twelve hours and no one has attempted to dial him. Cas goes to work, hoping that being in a busy atmosphere will distract him enough from the crawling feeling under his skin. But once he gets there, he is so out of his headspace he keeps making beginner mistakes. He loses count of how many cups of flour he put in the bread and adds an extra one, then has to scrap the dough. He adds nutmeg to the Bolognese sauce on accident, and looses precious time trying to find a way to make it work. His soufflé falls, and that in itself Cas deems is a sign. He can’t even trust himself not to put sugar where the salt is, so he calls in one of his people training underneath him and has them finish the rest of the work day. 

He drives home, trying hard to classify all the emotions running through his bloodstream. If he can put a name to them, maybe he can address them. But there are so many they seem to clash with each other and turn into something new. It is just a big bundle tied together, indecipherable from each other, but weighing him down none the less. The idea of going home and sleeping, and seeing if it’s the solution to being able to separate or dull the feelings is a comforting one. 

As he opens the door to his house, he knows Balt is home. He can tell from the fact that every light in the house is already on, despite the energy it wastes. As Cas goes to close the door behind him he hears a sound that changes everything. 

A female moan echoes through the hallways. 

Suddenly the hallways that Cas had always cursed seem like fun house mirrors around him- expanding and drifting towards him in a way that makes Cas feel like he’s getting literal tunnel vision. He forges down them in a daze. The noises increase as he gets closer to their bedroom. When he swings open the door, they continue for three seconds after. 

All Cas can see is red. Anna’s red hair fanning the pillow behind her, her mouth open in a moan, while Balt pounds into her. The couple seems to be lagging behind real time because there are two more thrusts before they even notice Cas standing in the hallway. When they do, they freeze, and Cas blinks.  What is the social etiquette in these situations? Is he supposed to leave his bedroom for them to finish? Is Anna supposed to flee because technically she shouldn’t be here in the first place? And as Cas muddles through what the next step should be, he sees the expression on Balt’s face.

Balt is looking between the two of them like he isn’t sure who to address. He has cheated on his own husband, and he isn’t sure who to comfort. And that all but makes the decision for Cas.

He flees, feeling an emotion he can name quite easily take over. Anger. His suitcase, which he had forgotten to unpack is in the hallway, and Cas clutches the handle desperately.

“Cassie, wait!” The wheels aren’t working, one seems to have something caught in it, so Cas is stuck in place, pulling frantically like the motion will fix the wheel.

“Look, I need to explain.” Cas can see the lines on Balt’s face. The lines he had tried to kiss away over the years. The lines he had run his fingers over so many times attempting to get the man to smile.

“Explain what?”

“It isn’t like you to not address what’s happening. Cassie, we know full well what we need to talk about.”

“I am addressing what’s happening.” Cas bends down to pull at the blue string caught in the wheel, but his frantic hands seem to somehow get the string even more tangled in the wheels track.

“How is this addressing it?”

“I’m leaving.” 

Balt laughs, but there isn’t any humor in it. “Where are you going to go, Cassie?” Cas would give anything to make him stop saying Cassie. 

“It isn’t about where I am going, it’s about who I am leaving.”  Cas wonders where Anna is. Is she just laying in their bed listening to this conversation? Is she putting her clothes back on?

“I forgot how poetic you can be when you’re upset. Look, let’s just sit and talk, okay? We can work this out.”

As if you could work out adultery over a long table and a list of compromises like they always do. And the thought makes Cas even more infuriated. What compromises does Balt expect him to make with this?

“How long?”

“Three months.” 

There isn’t an event three months ago that Cas can think of that would have triggered this. But maybe it was always around the corner and he just didn’t know. 

“Do you love her?” Either way the answer is terrible, Cas decides, and before he can hear an answer he grabs the handle and lifts the suitcase, wheels be damned.

“Cassie, don’t you want to talk about this like normal, rational people?”

  There it is, that voice that’s telling him his emotions are unfounded. And Cas feels the tears he doesn’t want to exist threatening to fall. He tries to bite back the bile in his throat.

_“I swear from this day on you are mine, and mine alone. I promise to treat you as an equal, not an omega alone. You are my mate Cassie, I will take care of you.”_

It’s stupid to be thinking of their vows, standing in a hallway with his mind made up, but suddenly Cas knows what’s going to happen.

Fuck Balthazar. Fuck his vows. He obviously didn’t mean them. Tonight Cas will rent a hotel. And he will allow himself to feel every emotion Balt and himself had been begging him to bury. He’s going to cry. Because he needs to let it all out. He needs to let out years of good and bad memories. Years of broken dreams, and years of wishes. He’s going to cry it all out and leave it behind.  He watches Balt, whose eyes are open and wide, hands out making it clear that he is waiting for Cas to say something. Treating Cas like, everything Cas always tried so hard to prove he wasn't- an emotional loose canon.

“We’ve said everything, I believe. Tomorrow I will be over when you are at the office to collect my things. I request that you not be here.”

Cas turns around, even as he can hear Balt’s remark behind him. But it doesn’t matter. Cas feels steady. He isn’t in a rush. He can take his time. 

It hurts, Cas realizes, as he stuffs the suitcase in the backseat and starts the car. He hands are steady on the wheel. But for once Cas gives himself permission to feel hurt. To bask in it. And even though he always assumed it would be stifling- to let all that grief and uneasiness in through the front door it’s actually…relieving. He feels the tears prickling at his eyes, and he gives them permission to fall. And the thought makes him smile, even as he’s crying. His emotions are his own. Maybe he is having an emotional breakdown, but the thought gives him some him relief. Because a breakdown sounds so much better than having to scrap together the courage to build and patch himself back up. As he pulls up to a dingy motel, he takes a huge breath in his car, steadying himself. In the long list of things he is going to have to address the first thing Cas can think of is that he is going to make sure this hotel has a bathub. If they don’t he is going somewhere else. Because tonight Cas is going to take a long bath and cry away Balthazar for the last time. 


	4. Decisions

 

 

“I’m getting a divorce.” Castiel can feel the smile on his face and he has no idea why it’s there. Maybe it’s so ingrained in him to hide his pain that he automatically smiles every time he’s upset. Maybe, instead of analyzing it he should focus on all the clothes that need to be folded. So Cas throws himself back into packing up his room. 

 

“Say what?” Gabriel is at the door holding boxes with a dumbfounded expression, but Cas takes the moment to grab a box from his hands and start putting the pile of already rolled up jackets in it. 

 

“Balthazar was cheating on me. With Anna. For three months.”

 

Gabriel doesn’t move from his spot, but Cas is on a mission. He’s got less than three hours to pack everything that belongs to him before Balthazar gets home.

 

“I found them fucking in our bed. He confessed, so I’ve requested divorce papers.”

 

“You’re getting divorced.”

 

Cas feels his smile falter. “I didn’t think I’d have to convince you why this is the right thing.”

 

“No, I thought I’d have to convince you one day.”

 

“I assure you I have made up my mind.” 

 

Gabriel looks over Cas, as if to weed out any trace of doubt. But for the first time in a long time, Cas feels certain. He isn’t sure if it’s the fact that the dam of holding emotions at bay he built so carefully is now all but obliterated, or the fact that he’s running on nothing but two coffees and righteous indignation, but he feels good. 

 

When Gabriel sees this he puts the boxes on the bed and starts rolling up the piles of pants Cas hasn’t addressed yet, so Cas can start attending to the books in the room.

 

“Do you have a place to stay?”

 

“I’m going to buy an apartment this week.”  Cas has never been more thankful for the fact that he and Balt had separate bank accounts. Originally it was because Cas had the idea that they would spend Balt’s money for regular things, and Cas’s money from his restaurant would go into a fund for their future children. But over the years, as the idea of having a child disappeared from the big picture, Cas’s money was Cas’s money and Balt’s was Balt’s. Balt was never very good at sharing. 

 

“But until then, stay with me.”

 

Cas nods. He actually really wants to be around someone during this upheaval, and Gabe would be the best person for that. 

 

“What about Sam?”

 

“He has his own house built especially for giants.” Gabriel pauses when coming to Cas’s underwear pile. He raises an eyebrow and holds up a pair with bees on them.

 

“Won’t that be awkward?”

 

“Nah, I think he gets off on voyeurism.” At Cas’s open mouth he laughs. “I’m kidding you dirty boy. If you don’t want him over, I’ll go to his house. Right now is all about you. For once in your entire life you get to be Castiel…. wait are you going back to your maiden name?”

 

Cas hasn’t even thought about that yet, but that’s probably because it is an easy answer. “Yes. I don’t belong to him.” 

 

“Wow, Castiel Singer. A new man. Independent, breaking hearts left and right.”

 

Cas knows Gabriel is messing with him, but he still preens under the words. A new man. The old man would sit here and stew in all of this history surrounding him. He would fall back into the little boy who wrote Castiel Novack on every tree in the neighborhood as if willing it into existence, he would construct the dam and put bandaids on all the hurt, he would back track and live in a world where he would always be Balt’s husband. 

 

But the new man? The new man puts The Awakening, a book Balt always insisted was too depressing to be of importance, in the cardboard box with all the carefully chosen remnants of his past to move forward. A new man. He likes the idea of it. 

 

“I should get new clothes.”

 

“Woah woah woah. What, are you going to cut your hair too?”

 

Cas runs his hand through his carefully parted hair. Is it too long?

 

“As your friend I’m not going to let you go off the deep end like some teenage girl. Sad songs? Chick flicks? All banned from my house.”

 

Cas allows himself to sit on the bed and run a hand over the three hundred dollar shirt Balt had gotten him for his birthday three years ago. He had insisted it was the color of Cas’s eyes. Balt had done every button slowly to take it off before they made love. 

 

How could Cas not want new clothes? There isn’t one stick in his closet Balt hasn’t seen or voiced his opinion of. There isn’t one Cas has chosen without Balt in mind. 

 

He can hear the old Cas trying to tell him he’s chasing the hard path. To spare the effort. His life is so intertwined with Balthazar’s, he really doesn’t know how much of himself is built from a child’s dream. What parts of him him aren’t molded or shaped by Balthazar? Can he really do this?

 

“Wait. No. You’re right. You need new clothes. No more of these Armani suits and shit.” 

 

Gabriel continues packing them up even as he speaks.

 

“What? You can still sell them and get money from them. It’s stupid not to. Besides you’ll need some of this fancy shit for the shindig Sam’s making me go to on Friday.”

 

“I hardly see how a party you’re forced to go to affects me at all.”

 

“Because if I don’t force you to go with me, I don’t know that I won’t come home to find you three gallons of ice cream deep with titanic playing in the background.”

 

“I fail to see how a historic event can play while I eat ice cream. Is it a movie?”

 

Gabriel snorts, throwing the bee boxers in Cas’s direction.

 

“See, this is why you need someone who will force you to watch real entertainment, not just political shit.” Before Cas can defend the political shit, Gabe adds “Besides, it’s a chance to show off the new you. Get new men drooling after you wherever you walk.” Gabriel gets off the bed and falls to the floor in a dramatic gesture “Oh please Castiel, let me see your bee underwear.” His voice is high pitched, and Cas tries to knock him over but Gabe’s stronger.

 

“That won’t happen.”

 

“What? Those babies gotta be seen!”

 

“Do you really think, after just alleviating myself from one emotional entanglement I would be eager to jump into another?”

 

Gabriel just laughs. “Who said emotional entanglement? I was talking about sex.” He shimmies in a way that makes Castiel smile. 

 

But as soon as Gabe mentions sex, all Cas can see is Balt. The only body he’s known all his life, his mouth open in a moan, as he pounds into Anna. The image he knows he can’t escape. He pictures himself walking around with it, like an object, from stranger to stranger on a busy street _“Yes have you seen my husband screwing my sister? Come one come all look at my baggage!”_

 

Gabe must be able to sense the change in Cas because he stops joking and they finish the room in silence. Once those boxes are brought to the door, they both go into the kitchen- Cas’s domain.

 

In fact, Cas would be more surprised if there is a single appliance in the kitchen besides the utensils and microwave that belongs to Balt. He’ll let him keep the cups and the dishes, but everything else- that’s Cas’s. Besides, the man doesn’t even know how to work a toaster, let alone a pasta roller. 

 

Taking back his stuff feels more vindicating than it should.

 

“I’m proud of you.” 

 

Gabriel rarely sounds serious. 

 

“There was nothing else I could do.”

 

They both know it’s a lie. There is another choice he could have made. But Cas is grateful Gabe isn’t trying to talk him out of it. Because the other choice? That might have killed Cas in the long run.  If it had been anyone else, Cas knows they would be sitting here arguing with Cas, not helping him pack. As if sensing this, Gabe puts a hand on Cas’s shoulder.

 

“You’re doing the right thing. Okay?”

 

Cas nods. “It was my sister, Gabe. He didn’t just screw some… it was my sister.”

 

Gabe nods once, but his hand tightens on Castiel’s shoulder. “I know now probably isn’t the right time… but have you thought about that?”

 

Cas knows what he means. His family. It’s his sister. It’s Balt, who is practically their son. And the worst part is ,Cas already knows how they will react. Balt is part of the family- through good times and poor. He will forever be a part of Castiel’s life- no matter how far Cas runs. And the very people he wants to run to for protection are the very people who would protect the person he’s running from.

 

“I know what they will say. But I can’t. I can’t go back, Gabe.”

 

“No you can’t. And you shouldn’t.” 

 

And just having one person tell him he’s right gives Cas the strength to get through this. All he needs is one person telling him-

 

“You can do so much better.”

 

And this time, Cas doesn’t argue. It’s not about doing better or worse. It’s about Cas, for once in his life. And anyone who has a problem with that can handle it themselves. 

 

“Besides, one day you’ll meet a guy that makes you fall out of your right mind, and you won’t be able to control yourself.” Gabriel smiles a little, and Cas knows he is thinking about Sam. Which, despite how he tries not to, endears himself to the man. 

 

 Cas looks around at the kitchen, all cupboards open with random things strewn about. “I will never get married again.”

 

“Famous last words.”


	5. Chapter 5

Cas wakes up to a tall gangly giant looking at him like an animal at a zoo. 

“You’re awake!”

Cas, who is not a morning person, tries hard not to bristle at the obviousness of that. His eyes are open, he is grumpy, it’s obvious he’s awake. It takes him a couple seconds to place the man in front of him, even with the feeling of recognition dancing on the edge of his mind. It’s simple narrowing down of who Gabriel would have at his apartment this early that all the pieces slot together. He gives himself permission to be as bristly as he desires to this man. So he simply settles for a glare, and attempts to roll over in his mountain of blankets.

“Gabriel has coffee.”

Cas doesn’t deign this with a comment either. 

“GABRIEL I THINK HE’S BROKEN.” He yells jokingly in the kitchen.

“I don’t think they let you return em if you don’t have the receipt!” Gabe yells from out in the kitchen.

“Do you often introduce yourself to people by watching them sleep, waking them, and then insulting them?”

Sam gives a half chuckle. “Only the lucky ones. I’m Sam Winchester by the way.”

Cas sits up, feeling the need to seem more powerful. Though attempting to get power by height would be useless against this particular man. “I know who you are.”

Sam gives a wry smile. “I guess you do. So… Castiel right?”

Cas pulls the blanket tighter around him and fixes Sam with another glare. “You know who I am as well.”

“Yeah… I mean yes. Castiel Novack, married to Balthazar- savior of the Omega’s. Well somewhat married.” Sam looks in horror at Castiel, realizing that his foot was effectively in his mouth. “I mean, that sucks man. Gabe told me..”

The man in question walks in the room bearing coffee that will in no way dig himself out of the hole he has dug himself into.

“You’re shorter than I imagined you’d be.” Sam says affably, as if this is a conversation between budding friends.

“Everyone’s short to you Sam stack.” Gabe hands everyone their respective coffees. But he looks down at his glass a little longer, and Cas can tell that this wasn’t how he pictured this introduction occurring. 

Sam laughs, and looks at Gabe with an expression that only young and in love individuals can pull off. The sickening “You hung the moon” starry eyed look without any hint of doubt or self preservation. And Gabe is returning it. Which, if it was anyone else Cas would be happy for Gabe. It might have made them more bearable, but there is little this particular man can do to get in Cas’s good graces. 

“Look, I understand this is your house Gabe, but do I really have to be subject to your blatant flirting over my makeshift bed every morning?”  The real question Cas is asking is if he has to see Sam every morning. 

“He’s feistier than I imagined as well.” Sam continues as if Cas isn’t in the room. And isn’t that just like Alpha’s? Talking like the Omega doesn’t exist as they infringe on their space.

“Well if you had it your way I wouldn’t be able to have any personality at all, would I?” Cas glares. He can tell he has shifted the tension in the room, but he can’t bring himself to care.

“Look, I’m not the guy you think I am.”

“So you aren’t son of Anti Omega Rights Activist John Winchester? Your family doesn’t rally against my ex husband’s campaign for equality? And you haven’t been to court cases, standing on the side of your father as he attempts to justify the rape, brutality, and injustices done to one third of the population?”

Sam looks to Gabe like a man caught out at sea, but Gabriel can’t hand Sam this lifeline.

“Look, it’s complicated.”  
“Yes, it’s complicated. For Omegas because of people like you.” Cas gets up from his bed, swirling all the blankets around him to make them some sort of organized mess on the couch. 

“I have Omega friends.” Sam starts, like the same sentence every person who is racist or sexist uses before they say some unjustifiable sentence to try and give it credence. 

“Yes I am aware of your Omega “friends”” Both know the people he is referencing. He is talking about people like Jo Harvelle and Ruby Minor who stand behind the Winchesters at every event like faithful Omegas. Who don’t step out of line, they don’t even toe it. And when asked, rant on and on about how much they enjoy being submissive. Who, no doubt, are used and abused like playthings by the whole party and don’t have a thought in their head that wasn’t approved by their oh so loving alphas.

“No, I mean real Omegas. Like you.”

And Cas isn’t sure what frustrates him more. The idea of there being one real way to be an Omega,or that Sam is generalizing Cas before even getting to know him.

“No one’s like Cassie here.” Gabe says, clearly enjoying the drama unfolding around him. When Sam gives him a baffled ‘help me’ wave, Gabe finally folds. But Cas was watching how far a person could dig themselves. “What Sam is trying to say is he has more going on in that pretty head of his than you can see. And he’s had some pretty…eye opening experiences with some pretty, and I mean pretty, Omega fans that switched up his world view.” 

Sam shifts on his feet. “I don’t have the views of my father.”

This is no way makes Cas want to run up and hug the guy. “Could have fooled me.”

Sam nods. “I hope one day to be able to change that. Undo the wrong I seemed to have stood by and let happen.”

“Why aren’t you doing anything now then?”

Sam ducks his head. “It’s complicated.”

“That seems to be a phrase you are fond of.”

“One day I hope to be able to be a public defender and work on one of the firms that defend Omega’s.”

“Good for you.” Even Cas can tell his voice sounds harsh and bitter.

“Look can we start over?”

“I don’t see any reason. At the end of the day you are still Sam Winchester, and I’m still against everything you stand for.”

“Look, the point of your cause is to get equality for the downtrodden, and educate and change the minds of the small minded classists right? Well you can’t change my mind or impact me for the better if you hate me. It would be in your best interest to take the interest I’ve shown in changing and show me how.” Sam looks at him with big, full, puppy dog eyes and Cas feels part of his resolve crumbling. “Wouldn’t it help your cause to convert the terrible Sam Winchester to your side, thus degrading his own family’s prejudice, instead of just hating him senselessly without trying to get him to even see your point?”  “Talking in third person, are we now Sammy?” Gabriel isn’t watching Sam though, he’s watching Cas carefully.  
And Cas can see Sam does have a point. It wouldn’t help either of them to hate each other. 

“You might not be half a bad attorney.” Cas grumbles.

Gabriel is still watching Cas like he’s afraid the man will bolt. “Good thing you need one of those right now.”

Sam looks between them, curiosity clearly piqued. “For the divorce papers?”

Cas didn’t know a lot about Sam, and he certainly didn’t like the guy. But he could tell one thing- first ,the man clearly liked Gabriel. It was obvious. Combined with the looks, the way his entire body seemed aware of where Gabriel’s was in the room, and his unjustified desire to win Cas over. The second was that he clearly loved law as well. He could see it in the way Sam gripped his cup tighter at the mention of a case, something to do. The way his face lit up at the mention of the mountain work of papers Cas hadn’t even allowed himself to think about.

“I can help you with those.” Sam’s voice betrays his eagerness.

“I don’t want your name to be associated with them.” Cas states firmly. “Not because I am not willing to….become better acquainted.”  He tries to smooth over.

“No, you’re saying you don’t want the politics to get in the way of a personal matter. It would look very fishy if you divorced Balt using an anti-Omega affiliate. But in exchange for your… acquaintanceship, I can do it for no recognition and no money.”

“I don’t know if I feel comfortable being indebted to you.” 

“And I don’t blame you for that.” Sam answers honestly. “I know people who could help you then. People who are in no way associated with anything having to do with my father.”

“Cassie just buck up and let the poor boy go to town on those papers. You know he wants to, you know you want him to.”

Cas sighs, his thoughts going to a couple nights previously when he had gone to get Balt to sign the papers, which had only resulted in confetti in front of him as Balt ripped them up while begging Cas. He tried to send them to Balt, but had only gotten them back in the mail. The process is driving him insane. The idea of waiting, even ten more hours, feels like too long. He is just ready to be done.

“Is there any way you can fast track the process? Like, I know Balthazar won’t sign. What do I do now to make it faster?”

“Well your name makes it easier for you. As bad as it is to use your recognition like that, it can also can help you, in this case. My idea would be to file default, but you can’t do that until it’s been thirty days. So use your press. You can strong-arm him into signing.”

Cas hates the idea of getting the press involved, but the truth of the matter is that they are going to get involved at some point. He knows it will be in Balthazar’s favor- The Omega Supporter can do no wrong. Might as well bite the bullet now if it could expedite the process. 

“What do you recommend?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so writing in current tense is killing me. Would anybody pitch a fit if, in later chapters, I just switched? I mean yeah... it would kill the continuity of it all. But I think it would be easier for me to write and read..... Tell me what you think.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. If it's any consolation- next chapter we meet Dean!

“Come to the party at the Winchesters.” Gabriel says before Cas can even get his cup of coffee in. 

It’s been the same start to his morning for the past two days. Gabriel hasn’t backed down even a little. Apparently he believes the solution to getting his way is to continually harass and annoy the person into doing it like a five year old. Though he’s been friends with Gabriel this long, he’s not sure why this surprises him. 

And Cas is too tired to even attempt to give all the reasons he won’t go to Gabriel’s boyfriends party. It would look terrible if he went to a function predominantly attended by Anti-Omega supporters. Or “Omega Protectors” as they like to call themselves. They only thing they protect is Alpha’s control over Omega’s and antiquated rules that enforces this.

Granted, the party is being held for a charity that has nothing to do with Alpha’s and Omega’s at all. Something like cat preservation or homeless wildlife. Honestly, something no one in the room cares about but uses as an excuse to have a lavish party and brag about who has more money to throw to a cause they know nothing about while pretending to be annoyed at the press they invited.

So naturally, Cas wouldn’t want to touch this with a ten foot pole. But Gabriel has been relentless, wanting someone to have to suffer through the fakes and attention whores with him.

Until his coffee is done brewing, Cas settles for a simple “No.”

“It’s not entirely an Anti Omega crowd going. You know Omega supporters attend as well just to support the cause and shmooze.”

“I don’t care about the cause.” 

Gabriel snorts. “You care about every cause.”

Cas can feel his nose scrunching up. “Not true.”

“Yes it is. You are a lover of creation and all that goes into it. Don’t give me that look. You attempted to start a foundation to save the wasps.”

“It was bees.” He hardly thinks he has to defend himself on that one. “They are going extinct. They are nature’s most important creature.”

“Blah blah blah. All I’m saying is this is right up your alley kiddo.”

Cas snorts. He doesn’t know what his alley would be filled with but it certainly wouldn’t be a bunch of stuck up, sexist, classist people in one room.

“Besides, it’ll be a good time to brush up on the old flirting techniques.”

Cas settles for a glare, even when he’s able to sip from his mug. 

“What? You get to show off the new, single Castiel. Make a grand debut.”

Cas rolls his eyes and put the empty cup in the sink and grabs his keys, hoping that he can escape from Gabriel’s insistence in his safe haven. The one place left untouched by all the other shit in his life. 

And for the most part work is that safe haven. Nothing but a loud kitchen with an array of smells in the air. From rosemary to orange. Cas works, thinking nothing but the food in front of him. No parties, divorces, biology crap. Just the soft crackle of the sauces boiling on the stove, or the timer of the oven. 

 

“What the hell Cassie?”

Of course the bubble had to burst. 

Castiel nods to one of his employees who was asking if the spices were done right for their hollandaise sauce. As soon as Cas gives the approval, Kevin runs away as fast as possible from the train wreck that is Balt standing in their kitchen waving a newspaper. 

“You can't just come into my work, Balthazar.” Cas doesn’t bother to spare him a glance as he opens the master fridge to pull out the chicken he marinated the night before to finish the rub. He’d imagined coming into work and watching something in his life flow like a well-oiled machine, but of course that couldn’t happen. That would be too easy. 

“Why not?  You found it so fitting to shit all over mine.”

Before Cas can set the chicken on the counter to prepare it, Balt throws the magazine on the counter. Cas tries not to groan that now he has to sanitize the whole thing again before he catches sight of the title. Balthazar and High School Sweetheart Getting a Divorce. Cas almost laughs that the picture they chose was a press photo from their wedding. In the picture Balt is looking out at all the people who attended their wedding, but Cas is only looking at Balt. How fitting. 

Not to mention he’d been married to the man for years, surely they could take the time to figure out his name. 

“They know. About Anna, everything.”   
    
Cas walks over to another empty counter that has been cleaned and runs into Krissy, his server, who just came in from the dining room. He can tell from her face she needs a specialty order done that only Cas, as head chef, can prepare. But as soon as she catches sight of Balt, she turns around and heads back out to the restaurant. Cas sighs and busies himself preparing the chicken and turning the stove on.

“Of course they know.  I had to write a reason on the divorce papers.”

“And you didn't think how this would affect me or your sister? “

“I didn't know we were supposed to consider the others emotions. You certainly didn’t.” Cas places the chicken into a prepared pan and thrills that the sizzle of it touching the hot oil follows his sentence. It’s petty but it makes him feel better. Sizzle and burn was a thing people said after their retorts wasn’t it? 

“You knew they would fast track this, given who I am.  After years you don't expect me to believe you forgot everything that comes with my work.  And you would disparage our cause because of your unplaced emotions.”

Cas wonders how much it would hurt if he threw the hot pan in Balt’s face. 

“Our divorce has nothing to do with any cause.  And if you didn't want it to be known you shouldn't have done it.”

“Don't get all preachy on me. Cassie, I know I've hurt you.” Until that moment Cas hasn’t looked at Balt, but can see him advancing from his peripheral vision. He can feel the eyes he used to spend hours looking into watching his every move with care. But no amount of begging can get them through this. “But is it worth all this?  The man I fell in love with wouldn't do this to his sister, to us.”

Cas had already specified to Sam that he didn’t want his sisters name in all of it. And true to his word, Sam had kept it out. But the divorce papers did mention Balt’s indiscretions, every newspaper just know that there was a girl. Balthazar was right- it was his fame that got the whole thing fast tracked. Sam had told Cas it was going to blow up once the media got ahold of it, but that was worth the risk. Cas was done, he just wanted to wash his hands from the whole thing. But not enough that he’d throw his sister under the bus of her own making.

Balt takes a huge breath as Cas flips the chicken. 

“Look, Cassie, I get you are upset but let’s be realistic shall we? What are you possibly going to do next?”

“I have a lucrative career, I hardly see how I require your assistance.” 

“I’m not talking about money, C. I’m not kidding, at some point I’m going to stop chasing after you and it’s going to be too late.”

Despite his self-restraint and that voice in his head warning him not to, Cas actually turns to look at Balt. The bags under his eyes, his silly v-neck t-shirt he wears on the days he isn’t working. He sees the pale cheek bones that magazines used to gush over, but now all of it just seems ridiculous. 

“Think about it Cassie, we get this divorce, and then what? You might break our mating, but you’ll still bear my mark.”

“And you will have a matching one. I fail to see how this somehow dooms me in any way.”

“I’m an alpha. You’re an Omega. There is a difference.”

Cas feels as if he’s been slapped. He honestly has no idea how to respond. Years of listening to Balt rant and rave about how Omegas were just as equal as alphas.

“I’m not trying to be offensive, but honestly, when all this is said and done I will still be me- and my work comes with certain perks of attention. You will have just been a tagline, forgotten in the back. But if we weather through these hard times we can make a change together.”   
Balt makes a move to grab one of Cas’s hands but remembers that they just touched raw meat and settles for placing his hand on Cas’s upper arm. “Don’t ruin our future over something so small.”

Cas turns off the stove and turns to Balt, letting his anger bleed through the cracks of his demeanor. “We don’t have a future together.”

“Cassie-“

“If we are going to resort to predicting each other’s outcomes, I demand you sign the divorce papers sooner rather than later, or I might be inclined to use my last vestiges of fame to find news outlets looking for incriminating rumors about the Almighty Balthazar.”

Balt shakes with anger. “You wouldn’t do that to yourself Cas. You know by spreading any inane rumors about myself, you would just damn your own reputation.”

“But as you pointed out, I’ll be forgotten in the back anyway so it won’t matter to me. I’d take another look at those papers if I were you. Good day Balthazar.” 

Cas looks for Krissy to find out what dish she needed earlier, but takes note of Balthazar leaving behind him, storming through the kitchen with a huff. Unfortunately for him, the door between the kitchen and restaurant doesn’t slam and his hustle and bustle just fades into the normal sounds of a loud working kitchen. But Krissy notices his failed attempts.

“You okay?” Her eyes were full of concern, showing wisdom beyond her years. 

But Cas was full of rage and anger. Unable to process it at that moment, he got the order and went to the kitchen to prepare it. 

He thought that a long day of working would be therapeutic, would somehow take the edge off of his rage, but it didn’t. He cooked through his shift until the restaurant closed. His anger was still tangible. He could feel himself shaking with it as he attempted to maneuver around hot stove tops and loud orders being called. His hands faltered on pots and pans that normally acted as extensions of himself. 

At the end of his shift it’s that anger that moves his feet outside. It’s that anger that carries him to Gabriel’s apartment.

As soon as he opens the door, Sam falls off the couch in shock. Clearly he and Gabriel were in the middle of some salacious activities if the fact that the giant’s hair is more like an afro than his calm locks, and Gabriel’s bare chest is covered in….is that nail marks or hickeys? Honestly Cas doesn’t want to know.

“Tell me more about this party at the Winchesters.” 

Despite the fact that both should be infuriated at their interruption, Sam just smiles, and Gabriel full on smirks at him. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again a shoutout to my Beta, @fangirlingtodeath513. Also check me out on tumblr- @destielpornlookalikes or @blondebadwolf

Cas knows he should be out the door, instead he looks at the clock again. Yes, the clock confirms, he’s ten minutes late to the party and forty minutes past when he should have left. And instead of actually doing anything about it, he keeps checking the time, hoping at some point watching the numbers increase will motivate him to get his butt into motion. So far, it’s not working. Instead he’s just standing in his bedroom, about to be forty minutes late to a party, looking between the stainless steel clock that he bought that week to go with his new interior design and the full length mirror in his bedroom.

He looks good. Or at least that’s what Gabriel assured him when he gave the okay on the suit. Cas is regretting letting Gabriel talk him into getting the suit tailored so close to his body, because while the tailors insisted the skin-tight look was the way to go, Castiel feels exposed. He’s not used to the lines of his body being so obvious. Despite his fears that it’s too much, he can’t ask Gabriel. Gabriel isn’t in the house. No, he’s already at the party probably checking his own watch wondering and what’s taking Cas so long.

Instead of just moving, Cas keeps fussing with his tie. He knows he’s doing it to stall. He doesn’t want to go. He’s unbuttoned and re-buttoned his cufflinks four times, almost talking himself out of the suit and the party altogether. Gabriel would be pissed, but the idea of being able to lounge on the couch in a pair of sweats while watching the history channel? Well it beats going to a stuffy old party any day of the week. The idea of having to socialize, to talk to people?  It’s downright suffocating. He’s going to have to make small talk with people he has nothing in common with. He’s going to have to be the poster child for his ex-husband’s work all the while avoiding the topic of his ex-husband. Who wouldn’t hide away while they could?

No wonder his tie, and the suit that was tighter than he was used to, felt like cords strangling him to death. 

_Stop second guessing yourself and get your ass over here. You owe me, and that suit deserves to be seen._

Okay so the text from Gabriel isn’t wrong. He had given his word.

_Besides History channel is all reruns._

Cas looks at himself again in the mirror. He can see his own eyes resigned to the terribleness that is bound to occur. But his suit does look nice. As he grabs his keys, they feel like shackles in his hands. As he closes the car door, he feels like he’s locking himself in a prison of his own making. Even the GPS calling out the coordinates to the Winchester Mansion sounds like the teacher from Charlie Brown. The entire drive is a battle of that inner voice telling him how easy it would be to turn the car around. And walking up to the actual doorway? 

Hell, he’d rather face an execution squad. Before he can knock, the doors are opening to him, revealing the only person he’s bound to know. 

 

“Cassie!”

As soon as he’s through the door Gabriel is hanging off of him talking a mile a minute. In under fifty seconds, Gabriel has already informed him of two divorced couple avoiding each other, one infidelity scandal concerning a nanny, and one estranged daughter who turned to stripping that has now reconciled with her family. While Gabriel has pointed out all these individuals, Cas can’t say he’s really listening. He doesn’t recognize or know any of them. Instead he watched the servants close the doors behind them, cutting off his last chance at freedom. (Servants? Party goers? The house was big enough that Cas wouldn’t be surprised if they hired people tasked with just opening and closing the main doors.)

“Were you just hanging by the door in hopes for my arrival?” Cas asks, as one Dean Winchester appears behind Gabriel.

“Thank goodness. The party can officially begin now that you’ve arrived.” Dean’s tone drips with sarcasm. Though considering their history it’s not surprising. 

While Cas and Sam had only really known each other in passing, Dean and Castiel had a much more….colorful history. John and Balthazar were mortal enemies. The Capulet to the other’s Montague, the Sharks to each other’s Jets, the Joker to the other’s Batman. Cas and Dean were the second in command to each of their leaders, which made them mortal enemies as well. 

Cas and Dean had seen each other at more than one rally, political event, debate, and fundraiser. At first they were fine to ignore each other, but as things escalated between their leaders, both Dean and Cas had been there during more than one confrontation. At first it was like an unspoken agreement, they were the ones to keep things from escalating, the physical barriers as Balt and John sniped, spat, and argued with each other. But as time went on, they were both too close to the situation. In fact, over time both of their hovering was more to help take out their enemy if things got physical than to keep it from getting physical.

At one such rally John, as always, had made some inane comment Balthazar’s mother, Hannah, the famous Omega kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery that had inspired his entire campaign and life goal. It was the reason he had come into Cas’s life. Cas’s family had basically adopted the boy, and his tragic backstory solidified not only Balt’s conviction, but the people who supported him. It was hard not to be inspired when Balt talked about his childhood, searching for a mother for years, only to find her grave after she had passed away due to brutal abuse of  ten years of rape and maltreatment. And John knew, bastard that he was, THAT was the button to press to make Balt lose control. He never abstained from barbs or cutting remarks like “she wanted it” or calling her a whore of some sort. And as a retort, Balt insulted Mary Winchester, the idea behind John’s entire campaign. Mary had been a high ranking Omega at Roman Bank, and when Azazel came in with his rag tag gang to rob the joint, she was the one to find a way to organize an escape plan for the people stuck inside the room with guns to their heads. But due to an ill-timed seizure, which she was known to suffer from, she ended up getting shot in the chaos as the others escaped to safety. John took this as a sign that Omega’s constitution was weak and that they needed to be protected. He believed if he forced her to stay at home, she wouldn’t have suffered from seizures or have been in the bank that day at all.

A war that raged for years before had two dead women as the front women to motivate both factions. And as such, it was the one hot button you didn’t address or question to the leaders, the sacred memories too personal to talk about. So consequently, it was the main form of insult between Balt and John, and the start to every physical altercation. At the main rally in question, John had insulted Hannah, Balt insulted Mary, but it had been Dean, not John that had thrown the first punch. And Cas, being the faithful spouse he was,blocked it, and found his own fist in Dean’s face. They were quickly separated, but since that day Dean and Cas can barely look at each other, let alone be in the same room. They had developed a reputation of sorts for being unable to see the other without attempting to get a rise.

 

Cas eyes Dean, his Gucci suit and Ferragamo loafers most likely paid for by his bigoted Daddy, and he knows tonight will be no different. 

Sam, hovering behind Gabriel and Dean, shoots Cas an apologetic smile. “Gabriel has been insisting we hover near the door so you wouldn’t have to enter to sea of unfamiliar faces. He may…uh, have been a little overbearing about it.”

Gabriel scoffs, like it’s an exaggeration. But knowing Gabriel, and the way his eyes flit between the unlikely group gathered, Cas knows Sam is telling the truth.  

Dean rolls his eyes. “Gabriel wouldn’t let us have a fucking decent conversation without worrying whether or not you’d gotten lost on the way. Nice of you to grace us with your presence.”

Cas feels his ire rising to the surface. Honestly, it’s no surprise, he’d attempted to punch the other man before. 

“I would think a host would have more to do than worry about the attendance of one lowly omega.”

Dean gives a half smile, like he enjoys being called out. Or maybe he just enjoys getting a response from Cas. “Never thought I would have seen the day the great Castiel admitted to being just a lowly Omega.” 

To Cas’s surprise it isn’t Gabriel, itching to defend him, that gets the next word in, but Sam.

“Dean, lay off him for one night.”

Dean claps Sam on the back. “I promise I’m not going to be the one laying on him tonight,” His eyes take in Castiel’s entire suit and Cas feels like he just went through an x-ray machine of some sort with how they seemed to take in every detail. He was reminded, once again, how form-fitting his suit was. “But based on how tight those pants are, I’m guessing he’s in the mood for someone to.” 

Cas narrows his eyes, but before he can retort, Dean’s winking at him. “I’m off to my hosting duties. And Castiel?” Cas continues to glare at the stupid man. “Welcome to the Winchester mansion.”

As he walks away, Gabriel seems torn between shouting after him and laughing at the macho display he just witnessed. Cas just feels his fingers itching in an attempt to punch the man again. 

“A phrase I never thought I’d be forced to hear.” Cas mutters it for Gabriel, but based on Sam’s snort, it’s obvious he heard it as well. 

 “Despite that ominous greeting, the food is good.”

 “If it doesn’t poison us.”

 

Sam laughs. “No one will poison, harm, or hurt you here. Say some offensive things? Maybe, but otherwise we’ve got your back. Dean does too, even if he likes to be a dick about it.”

 “At least dicks have a function.” Cas mumbles, as Sam laughs again and leads them to the food. It’s the first time Cas is able to really see what is in for him.

The room is huge, basically the size of a hotel ballroom. It’s probably called a ballroom, though who gets a house big enough for a fucking ballroom to be built in it is anyone’s guess. The room is decorated with hanging lights and lavish statues. The main point of interest is the gowns and outfits around him. All of the men wearing lavish suits and the women in form fitting ball gowns made of satin and glitter that sparkle every time they move. Screw party, it looks like a freaking wedding reception. And the cause? Cas honestly has no idea, seeing as the platform is in the front of the room and surrounded by interested guests. Windmill restoration, he thinks. Or maybe that was an article he read earlier today. Whatever the cause, the room looks wealthy enough to support it.

 No one in the crowd looks familiar, and if they did it was from newspaper and magazine articles on those born into the wealthy life. The room has every type of Paris Hilton and Kardashian it needed. This is what rich inheritance looks like. The cushy life. Cas makes a lot of money, hell Balt makes even more, but the lavishness around him is something unlike Cas has ever seen before. 

 “Be nice to have money coming out of the ass, huh?” Gabriel asks, noticing Cas taking in the room around him.

“I’d rather have my dignity, thank you.”

Gabriel’s chuckle is warm and familiar in such a chilling atmosphere. He hands Cas a plate of gourmet pies and foods so fancy Cas can’t guess at first sight what most of them are. “Wait until you’ve tried lemon tart. You’ll be singing a different tune.” Cas takes a small bite of the bread on his plate. “But you know not all of these people are Anti O right? Some are just rich bastards.”

 “Says the man who is dating a rich bastard himself.” Cas turns to find where Sam has gotten off to but is easily able to spot him. Not just because of the height, but because all he has to do is look at Gabriel and watch where his eye line travels to. Sure enough, at the end of it, Sam is five feet away having what looks to be an uncomfortable conversation with a grabby elderly lady. It’s a funny scene- a tall man cowering to a small, hunched-over woman, but the affection in Gabriel’s eyes is one of more than just amusement. 

“Heaven help me.” 

Sam looks up and catches Gabriel’s eyes and God it’s mushier than any pudding. Cas quickly turns back to the food. The bread tastes divine, but the lemon tart is even better. 

To Cas’s surprise a girl pops up out of nowhere. “Hello.”

It’s clear from both her tone and stance that the woman is an alpha. She’s beautiful, with long brown hair and spectacular breasts heaving out of the top of her sweetheart dress. And she’s looking at Cas like he’s the fucking dish of the evening.

“Hello.” Gabriel says jovially next to Cas, but the woman doesn’t even give him a passing glance.

“I hate to interrupt your food but there is a surprising lack of dancers on the floor, and I was wondering if I may tempt you away.”

Her British accent is charming, but what’s even more charming is that her eyes remain locked on Cas’s. She isn’t attempting to posture him, or demand he dance with her. Cas finds himself handing his plate to Gabriel. 

“Your options must be terrible if you resorted to asking a total stranger. I could be a terrible dancer.” Cas smiles pleasantly to let her know he’s teasing, and to see if she gets mad that he’s not outright accepting. It’s a power play as much as it is feeling the woman out.

“Even so, I find myself intrigued. And any type of dancing is better than having to dance with Zachariah Trump one more time.” Zachariah Trump is well known for being a sleazy Anti Omega supporter. So Cas allows himself to laugh at the joke like he knew the man personally.

“I can’t resist a call for help.” He takes her open arm as she leads him out to the dance floor.

“Lucky me then.”

 

As they dance, Cas can feel eyes on him. He knows Gabriel’s are following them with suspicion, encouragement or well…something. He keeps pointing to them and talking to Sam. Honestly, he’s the one who came up with this idea; he could appear a little more supportive. Cas can tell other people are watching as well. It’s no surprise, really. Even with the Hugo Boss suit and Magnanni’s, he still sticks out like a sore thumb. He swears he can hear them talk about him every time they waltz around the dance floor. What’s more surprising is that he catches Dean watching them. Every time he follows the feeling of eyes boring into him, it leads straight to a pair of green he can’t read. Most likely disgust for inviting the raggedy Omega to begin with. 

But Bela is charming and nice. She isn’t like the type of Alpha he expected to meet. She’s witty and listens to what he says, though there’s no doubt she’s an Alpha; It’s in her forwardness.  He swears she spends every song arranging their bodies closer and closer together. Her hands keep drifting down his back, and seem seconds away from his ass. Every time a song ends, she finds another way to keep him in her arms. But for the time being, it’s fun. It’s fun to talk to someone other than Gabriel. It’s fun to flirt, to feel wanted even if it’s not going to lead anywhere. 

After four songs, Cas finds they have drifted off the dance floor and into a corner. Using it as an excuse to find his original party, he says his goodbyes and heads off to where he last saw Gabriel. 

“Enjoying yourself, Gabriel?” To Cas’s surprise, it’s Dean asking the question. And to his even bigger surprise, he doesn’t sound sarcastic. Curious, Cas lingers a bit before he walks directly into their eyesight 

“I was.”

Sam laughs, and wraps an arm around Gabriel’s shoulders. “He’s worried about Cas.”

“Why, isn’t he getting along with anyone?”

“Oh, he’s getting along alright.” Gabriel mutters. 

“Bela stole him away.” Sam teases. “And I’m not sure if he’s worried about her sullying Cas’s reputation or being without his best friend even though his loving boyfriend is right here.” The joke is accompanied by a side hug that Gabriel just pouts his way through. 

Dean waves a hand in dismissal, reaching behind Gabriel to stuff a mini cherry pie in his mouth. “He’s in good hands.” He says while chewing, like a barbarian. So much for money breeding good manners.

 “That’s what I’m worried about.” Gabriel says, even as his eyes catch Castiel’s. Right as Castiel is about to take the twenty steps towards his group, he feels someone tug at his elbow. But to his surprise it isn’t Bela, but a young man. The man is ruggedly handsome, and wearing a blue suit that compliments his eyes. 

 

“I haven’t had the opportunity to make your acquaintance. I’m Gadriel.”  

“Castiel.” He says as he shakes the other man’s offered hand. Based on his scent, he’s a beta, and his eyes seem nice enough.

“May I trouble you for a dance, Castiel?”  Cas can see Gabriel raise an eyebrow as he asks.

“Uh, sure.” Cas agrees, not seeing a reason to decline. Once again he’s whisked to the dance floor. And so it continues, Cas finds himself in someone else’s arms after every song. He’s not sure why, if it’s an etiquette thing, the fact that he’s an Omega, or just if he’s being toyed with, but for some reason Cas is actually enjoying himself. Sure, not all of the dances are as easy as Bela and Gadriel. Of course, there are some assholes that fill out his metaphorical dance card. Like Gordon, who tried to talk over him and called him and Omega Bitch when he abruptly ended the dance. Or Amara, who spent the whole dance making disparaging remarks about Omega’s in general, like it was an inside joke between them even though Cas clearly wasn’t laughing. Or the most recent, Becky, who claimed to be an Omega right activist but wouldn’t stop trying to scent him. 

Thank goodness she was distracted by her boss before she tried to ask him for another dance, Cas thinks while grabbing himself a glass of water.

 

It surprises Cas that not one person has commented on his marriage; surely it’s been all over the news. While there are plenty of comments about his Omega nature, no one has even made mention of who he really is.

“You. You’re married to that self-righteous dude,” an older man with white hair and glasses that don’t actually help if his perpetual squinting is anything to go by, all but shouts to Cas.

Okay, so maybe he thought too soon. Cas looks at his empty water glass before he turns and looks at the man. Sam and Gabe are on the dance floor, and all that is near him is Dean Winchester (grabbing another lemon tort) which makes Cas even more uneasy. But he’s not going to cower.

“That self-righteous man is a national hero.”

The man scoffs. He comes closer to Cas and Cas can smell the alcohol radiating off of him. 

“Still a smug bastard. Aren’t you two getting a divorce?”

 Cas goes with the practiced answer. “Doesn’t make his work any less important. 

The other man laughs out loud, which shortly turns to hiccups. But he doesn’t seem alarmed or concerned about them.  “Sure. Just proves the point that Alpha’s and Omega’s have a different constitution. He cheated, despite all his words and shit. See right there? Alpha’s aren’t meant to be with one Omega.”

As Cas is contemplating whether or not it is worth it to argue with someone so intoxicated that he can barely stand straight, Dean comes over and throws an arm over the other man’s shoulders.

“Woah there Frank, what are you, Dr. Phil? Maybe we should leave the therapy shit for when we haven’t had one to many brewskies, yeah?”

“All I’m saying is us Alpha’s, we gotta roam.” Frank sways, falling deeper into Dean’s arms. 

“Yeah, yeah. We don’t gotta roam with each other. Mind easing up on the cuddling, old man?”

Frank isn’t listening, still continuing his rant. “I mean, at least I acknowledge I’m an asshole. I don’t tell any Omega’s they can be my one and only, not since…” He hiccups and Cas wonders how that sentence was supposed to end. Or if Frank even knew the answer to that before he continued on. “But that smug bastard, he preached to be better but then just turned out to be an asshole in disguise. Which makes him a bigger asshole, if you ask me. And not a good kind of asshole either.”

Dean snorts, and looks to Cas with an eyebrow raised, as if looking for someone to share the joke with. But Cas can feel the frown stuck on his face. Dean’s smile disappears and he addresses the drunk man still in his arms. 

“Can’t argue with that logic. Now how about some water?”

“No, no, this one has to know not to get his hopes up. He needs to know how shitty that guy is.” Frank’s face is red, and he has inched out of Dean’s arms and is now waving his hand in Cas’s face. 

But Dean shouts over to someone, and in seconds Frank is being turned by Dean into someone else’s waiting arms and taken away and hopefully given something to sober him up. 

Cas doesn’t know how to feel about what just transpired. It isn’t what he was expecting. To a certain extent he agrees with Frank, not about all the Omega bullshit, but Balt did prove himself to be a hypocrite. 

His mind is spinning. He almost misses Dean standing in front of him, watching him carefully 

“Sorry about that.”

“Thank you for rescuing me.” 

And Dean had. He could have watched from the sidelines, he could have agreed, hell he could have done a lot of things, but instead he intervened. Had it been the opposite, a drunk Omega Rights activist yelling in Dean’s face, Cas is certain he would have let it continue. 

But Dean’s flustered expression makes Cas smile despite himself.

“It’s my responsibility.” Dean mumbles, his voice gruff. “Can’t have people attacking guests in my house.” His face brightens as a response comes to him. “Besides, your mental well-being is in my hands. If you kill yourself here, the police will think I did it, with it being my house and all.” He adds, but Cas can tell it’s a last minute excuse. Dean hadn’t thought of that when he’d come to Cas’s defense. 

“Mhmm.” He agrees, but can feel the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Dean notices it as well.

“Yeah, and if Sam found out I ruined his new best friend, he would never forgive me.” He continues, and waves a hand in the air like it’s no big deal, but both know it was. 

“Right.” Cas agrees to humor Dean.

“Yeah.” Dean nods, clearly seeing that he’s not bullshitting anyone. “Whatever.” Cas wants to laugh at the growl Dean makes as if to somehow back up his points. 

“Castiel,” Both jump a bit at Gadriel, despite the fact that he is close enough and both should have noticed him entering their vicinity. “Would you mind if I troubled you for another dance?”

Castiel wants to laugh at the formal invitation. Their whole lives, Gabriel has teased Cas for his formality, and here, at a fucking Winchester party, is when he is surrounded by people who speak more formally than him. It’s a cosmic joke.  As his eyes lock with Dean’s, he sees the humor back in the green. Dean’s arm motions to the dance floor formally, like a prince motioning to his subject. 

“Have at it you two.” 

Cas rolls his eyes in contempt before turning to face Gadriel with a smile, making it clear his annoyance isn’t at the tall, formal blonde. “I’d love to.”

“Who would have thought,” Dean reaches for a lemon pastry and shoves it all in his mouth not noticing the powdered sugar that falls on his lower lip. “Castiel, the bell of a Winchester ball.” Cas can actually see the food as Dean talks, but his disgust is soon distracted as Gadriel pulls him close for yet another waltz. 

 

****

After three more dances, Castiel is finally able to get away to find a toilet. As Cas comes back from the bathroom he can hear two people arguing through a half open door next to the bathroom. Seeing as the house is a mansion, he can’t help but shake his head that the people whispering loudly in the room didn’t think to choose another room farther away from the festivities. But it’s none of his business, so he heads towards the spacious hall again. The word murder being shouted stops him in his tracks.

If someone was murdered or being murdered, it was his civic duty to help give them justice right?

Deciding it is a good enough reason, Cas inches toward the door. Inside is a study, and he can see that one of the figures is Sam Winchester based on height alone.

“Sam, there’s no proof. Yeah, it looks that way but what are you going to do?”

Cas knows that voice. The gruff, the drawl, no one could fake that. So the Winchester brothers are just having a normal, brotherly conversation about murder. 

“So I’m just supposed to sit on my hands? It’s Jess, Dean. I loved her.”

At that, Cas starts. Jess…murder. Gabriel’s hint that Sam knew “Pretty Omega’s”. Recently in the news, almost shadowing him and Balt’s drama, had been the mystery surrounding Jessica Moore. Jessica, a famous Omega actress who was very vocal about Omega Rights was found dead in her apartment almost a year ago. Cause of death was unknown, but recently there had been speculation that she was murdered. 

Cas had liked her. She had traveled around with Balt’s campaign a lot to give her voice, so he had met her at random places. She was loud, vocal, vivacious and a good public speaker. She had the ability to both flatter Alphas and put them in their place at the same time. Her death had shocked and saddened him. 

But now Sam Winchester is talking as if he was her secret lover, and hinting that he knows more about the subject of her death than the press does. 

“I know Sam. I know. And if he did it, the bastard will rot in hell for it.” Cas can see Dean’s hands reaching out to comfort his brother, but Sam pushes them away.

“He always hated her. He….God, Dean. You would have me do nothing?”

There is silence, and Cas inches another step forward, watching Sam’s back patiently.

“I never thought I’d have to lecture you about the big picture, Sammy.”

Sam sighs. “But this information proves it, or at least hints at it.”

Now Cas can see Dean’s face as he steps around from behind his brother. It’s soft, much softer than he’s ever seen in public or in person before. Cas didn’t know Dean could look anything but fierce. 

“So what Sammy? You rat on him, he paints a target on your back. Think of the things you want to do, your budding relationship with Gabriel, you can kiss that all goodbye. 

Gabriel? What does Gabriel have to do with any of this? What deal with the devil did these boys make?

“Dean, what if he attempts to target Gabriel?" 

True, Sam sounds scared shitless, but the idea that Sam is mixing his best friend up in anything makes any sympathy he has for the guy go down the toilet.

“He won’t. He’s sick, we know that. It’s not like he’s calling any big shots anymore. Besides, Gabriel is a beta. He has nothing to do with Omega rights. And with you and I both protecting him, he’s probably the safest sucker in this town.”

“But he fights for those he loves, which means he  _is,_  in some ways, tied to Omega rights.”

Dean scoffs. “So? Old man’s not dumb enough to do anything. If he does, I give you permission to end this all early. But right now? Big picture, man.”

“What about Cas?”

What about Cas what? Cas wants to bust in the door and demand to know what he means.

Dean’s voice goes back to gruff, deep, closed off. “What about him?”

“He’s hanging around us. Wouldn’t that paint a target on his back?”

Dean sighs. “Look Sammy, we have a hunch. A hunch that looks pretty damning, yes. But it’s a hunch. What if he isn’t guilty, huh? What if someone else did it? I’m not saying he didn’t, don’t give me that look, Princess. All I’m saying is, if he did it, the man will rot in hell for eternity for what he did. Or he will roll over in his grave as he sees the spectacular things you plan to do with his legacy and money. Either way, he’s sick. Sick enough that we both know he won’t do anything else. Besides, what would he get from killing Gabriel or Cas?”

“What did he get from killing Jessica?”

Cas digs his fingernails into his hands to keep from gasping. 

“Cas can handle himself. Besides, he’s got us watching out for him.”

Somehow, this does nothing to put Cas at ease.

“Sammy, I can’t do this without you. I hate the man. But-”

“No you don’t! You’re his little soldier, you don’t. Even-”

Dean is upon Sam before either of them knows it. From the doorway, Cas can see him standing in front of Sam. Despite the height difference, there is fire in Dean’s eyes. Cas grips the doorknob tight from the way his stomach clenches at the sight. 

“Don’t you dare presume to know how I feel about all this. Look, do what you want. You want to convict him? Go ahead. Put a dying man on the stand. _If_ he even makes it that far. Lose your inheritance, have dead ol' Dad put you on his enemy list before he goes, put Gabriel at risk. Go ahead. It won’t bring Jess back.”

Sam’s back slowly turns, so he’s facing the door and away from Dean. With a little squinting, he’d probably be able to see Cas’s form through the opening, especially if Cas can see them. Cas quickly stands up straight and looks around. He can’t get caught outside the door. He doesn’t exactly know what he’s hearing, but he does know he wasn’t meant to hear it. 

“Screw you Dean.”

“Hate me, hate me all you want, but you know I’m right.” Cas quickly scrambles out of the hallway, his feet leading him straight to Gabriel. Somehow the rest of the evening doesn’t seem as jovial. Especially not with the words “murder” ringing loud and clear in the confines of Castiel’s head. A part of him wishes he had stayed home with the history channel. At least then he wouldn’t feel tied to some history he doesn’t have enough pieces to slot together, but just enough to rattle around in his brain.

 

At the end of the night, Cas isn’t sure whether to put the night under success or failure. 

On one hand, he made it through a night of socializing without Balt to even him out. He went through a Winchester party without insulting anyone or punching the host himself, so brownie points indeed. On the other hand, his feet hurt and he may or may not have to talk to Gabriel and tell him that his boyfriend might be an accomplice to murder, being complicit and all.   

Oh, what a night. 


End file.
